In the future it is believed that there will be a convergence of the physical and the digital worlds and the bridge between these worlds will largely be based on myriad sensor networks. A vast number of sensors are deployed throughout our world already but for true ubiquitous sensing to become a reality, sensors that are fabricated through low-cost and scalable self-assembly processes, while also being competitive in terms of performance, would be helpful.
For future mobile devices, the requirement of low-cost is always an important factor. In addition, the notion of the skin of the mobile devices being sensitive to the environment is attractive and challenging. Intimate contact between the user and their device's ‘sensing skin’ could provide for a range of features in the areas of healthcare and well-being diagnostics where traditional sensors located in the phone's interior may be unsuitable.
Graphene optoelectronics is also an active field at present, and graphene photodetectors are particularly useful as they have the potential to operate at high frequencies. In addition, the absorption spectrum of graphene is ultra-broadband across the visible and NIR regions.